Earth 42
by radpineapple
Summary: Heavily Batman based, Captain Cold is blown from the Oculus to Gotham in Earth 42.
1. Cold Beginnings

Chapter One: Cold Beginnings

 **The Fall of Krypton: Universe 42**

The video crackled to life, and the face of a beautiful woman with rich, brown hair and warm eyes filled the screen. Her hair was in disarray and her tear-filled eyes were tainted with pain and fear. A loud crash resonated in the background and the camera shook. The woman sat back to reveal a small dark room. A young, blonde girl threw herself to the woman and clung to her side, silent tears trailing down the child's cheeks.

"Shh, Kara," the woman said soothingly. She held the girl close and rubbed her back. The woman turned her attention back to the screen and bravely took in a deep breath. "My name is Alura." Another crash sounded in the distance, and the camera trembled. "I am," she paused, "I was in charge of the prison Fort Rozz on the planet Krypton."

A loud boom mightily shook the camera, and Kara whimpered.

Alura turned her attention back to the camera. "Krypton is dying. There is no hope for us." Tears began to run down her face, but her resolve never changed. "My husband, Zor-El, is dead."

Kara buried her face into her mother, her body shaking as she sobbed.

Alura swallowed. "He was murdered by General Zod just before the planet began to fall. General Zod knew the planet's end was coming, and he –" a loud crackle startled Alura, and she looked at the ceiling.

Kara looked up, too and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She turned to her mother, fear written on her face.

Alura looked at her daughter before turning to the screen once more. "General Zod and his followers escaped. I am sending this signal as a warning for anyone who receives it. General Zod is evil. He is cruel, ruthless, and absolutely merciless. Do not let him deceive you. Do not let your planet fall as we have let ours."

Something creaked loudly from above, and dust rained down from the ceiling. Alura and Kara clung to each other tightly, while they looked up in fear. Something snapped above them, and Alura shielded her daughter from the collapsing ceiling just before the video cut to static.

 **Universe 42: Present Day**

The man holding an electronic tablet walked quickly down the curved hallways of the enormous Kryptonian cruiser. His gray uniform matched the interior of the ship and the other crewmembers' uniforms even down to the emblem on their chests. The emblem was a pentagon with a curved symbol inside it that looked much similar to a hand-held scythe. The man finally reached the end of the corridor and nodded to the two guards guarding the door. They nodded back in return and stepped aside as the door automatically opened. The man walked inside towards the elevated chair in the center of the room and saluted.

The man sitting in the chair had dark hair and a beard. His eyebrows curved sharply downward, causing him to constantly look angry.

"Speak," he commanded with a deep, authoritative voice.

"Good evening, General Zod," the man holding the tablet addressed.

Zod gave no reply.

He glanced back nervously at the tablet before saying, "We've picked up some very…interesting energy readings, sir."

Zod silently held out his hand, and his inferior quickly handed him the tablet. Zod scrolled down while the other man spoke.

"Those are massive interdimensional and temporal energy readings. The technology to make such a massive reading has to be similar to that of Krypton's at the height of its power."

"Where?" Zod finally spoke.

"…Sir?"

"Where are these readings coming from?"

"A planet the locals refer to as Earth."

"Set a course for Earth," Zod said, handing the tablet back.

The other man took the tablet but paused.

"What is it?" Zod asked impatiently.

"This planet, Earth," the man explained, "it's too primitive to have technology like this."

Zod grabbed the tablet from the man's hands and scrolled through it again. He studied it thoughtfully with piercing, calculating eyes.

"This had to have been a mistake," Zod concluded. "We will infiltrate the planet exactly as we do when we are scouting out a planet to terraform, but limit the search to the vicinity of the energy readings. Also, make sure the scouting team is familiar with Earth's customs. Pinpoint where these readings came from as accurately as possible. I want to know as much as we can about these readings."

"Yes, sir," the man acknowledged before Zod handed him the tablet once more.

"I also need you to order more energy convertors from our closest base. With readings like these, we will be able to power our entire fleet for decades to come."

"Yes, sir," the man confirmed once more before saluting General Zod and leaving the way he came.

O

The orange cat scurried down the twisted alley littered with trash and grime. It jumped up the trash lining the walls and scrambled up the fire escape. Light and warmth and the smell of delicious food spilled out of one of the windows. The feline pounced through the window and landed softly on the wood floor. Another cat with striped gray fur sat a few feet away, cleaning itself. A black cat meowed quietly from atop a nearby counter, and the orange tabby jumped up next to it.

A gloved hand pet the orange cat, and the cat purred in return. A bowl of cat food was placed in front of it, and the tabby looked up fondly at the woman providing the food before eating.

The woman had green eyes and cat-like features. Her curly hair framed her head and her pink lips smiled as she watched the tabby hungrily eat. She picked up a nearby remote and turned on her small television.

"Wayne Industries just received another shipment to help increase its science division," the man on the television informed. "Bruce Wayne told us that 'the new equipment should help further advance the company's scientific research tenfold.' Most of the equipment is being shipped to Wayne Industries HQ right here in Gotham. Now, we are switching to live coverage in the Narrows."

A gorgeous blonde woman stood outside of an old, cracked building, holding a comically large microphone.

"It has been almost three weeks since a mysterious explosion nearly destroyed most of the Narrows," she reported. "Efforts have been made mostly by Wayne Industries to provide the people with temporary shelter and food while the rubble is moved away and new housing is being built."

Selina Kyle scoffed and turned off the TV. If this woman knew anything about the Narrows or Bruce Wayne, she'd know nothing was really being done. The Narrows was one of the worst parts of Gotham – and that was saying something. Selina would know since she lived in the Narrows her whole life. She also knew Bruce Wayne. She knew his intentions were probably good, but the new housing was probably much too expensive for anyone living in the Narrows to even afford. The people of the Narrows would remain to live on the streets while the stuffy rich moved in and continued to oppress, bribe, and coerce the poor to do their bidding. Selina hated it.

The clock said it was nearly five in the evening, and Selina finished zipping up her tight leather cat suit. The fabric was well insulated and had thin, light body armor hidden beneath it. A long zipper ran up the front of the black suit, all the way up to the high collar that covered her neck. The sleeves tightly hugged her arms and neatly connected with the matching gloves. The gloves were fierce with long, cat-like nails attached to the fingers. Selina grabbed her mask off the table. It covered her entire head and was held together with leather straps and nails, giving it a steampunk vibe. She securely fastened the cowl to the rest of the suit and pulled down the matching goggles. She took her whip off the table and fastened it to her belt.

Selina opened the window and climbed across the wall and up the nearby fire escape. She reached the roof and paused. The slightly chilly air blew around her as she took in the darkening city.

The sky was tinted pinkish blue in the west, and stars began to sparkle against the black sky in the east. Selina was surrounded by the decaying and crumbling buildings of the Narrows, but the magnificent skyscrapers from the other side of the city shone in glittery, yellow lights, beckoning every lonely child to dream of a better life.

Another gust of chilly wind broke her reverie, and Selina easily bounded across rooftops and gracefully climbed through the Gothamite architecture until she reached one of the many discontinued stores squashed by crime lords and big corporations such as Wayne Industries. Selina silently glided in through a broken window and scaled the stacked crates until she appeared close enough around a ring of men to hear them but stayed far enough in the shadows to remain unseen.

Two-Face paced before the group of men. His disfigured side facing them.

"Did you see they are building a new courthouse? Right over the old one. They can't do that! That was where I was born!"

Two-Face turned so the other side faced his men and began walking in the other direction.

"But rebirth is good," his lighter side countered. "One cannot dwell on the past forever. It is good to move forward and grow."

He turned again.

"No!" Two-Face argued. "They are destroying something important." He paused as he thought it over. "We need to destroy it."

He turned yet again, showing off his good side.

"There is only one way to settle this," he said with finality.

He stopped walking and faced his men, so they could see both sides of him. He pulled out a coin from his pocket.

"Heads we destroy it, tails we move on," he told himself. He flipped the coin, caught it, cupped it in his hand, and turned it over. He looked at the coin for a moment before saying, "Looks like we're destroying a courthouse, boys."

The men cheered, but one of the men cleared his throat tentatively.

Two-Face studied the man a moment. "Yes?"

"We are getting paid for this job, right?" the man asked. "I know times have been a bit tough."

Two-Face glared at the man, rage piercing through his eyes. "That is all your loyalty is to me? Money?"

"It's not as if they're lured here by your charming looks," Catwoman purred from atop the crates.

The men spun around, instantly drawing their weapons.

Catwoman elegantly landed on the ground and approached the men.

"Put your weapons down," Two-Face commanded in annoyance.

The men put their guns away, but continued to stare at her cautiously.

"I'll take care of the money," Catwoman promised as she brushed passed the men.

Two-Face smirked. "I'm glad you chose to help the winning team."

Catwoman gave him a cheeky grin. "I know I good opportunity when I see it." She walked passed Two-Face and back into the darkness. She left through an old, rusted door.

The cool air hit her unexpectedly. It was getting cold soon this season. She began to turn the corner, but felt the prickle of eyes on her. With a trained eye, she searched back through the darkened streets just in time to see a man wearing clothing a bit too dapper to be in this part of town with slicked back brown hair and a golden trench coat disappear around the bend. A shiver ran through her as she slunk back into the darkness.

O

Small snowflakes began to swirl through the air as Catwoman left the dirty streets and ominous alley-ways of the Narrows and made her way to the nicer area of Gotham. This was where the rich resided. She silently skated across the rooftops of designer clothing stores, expensive restaurants, and exquisite jewelry shops. She stopped at a rooftop on the other side of one of the nicer hotels. Her breath came out in a pale vapor and quickly faded into the night air.

Catwoman drew in a breath before racing across the rooftop and leaping over the gap between this building and the hotel. She clung to the fire escape and lifted her body over it. She climbed upwards until she found the floor she was looking for. She glanced across the building and studied the window five windows down.

She eased onto the slim lip of the nearest window until she was balanced on it. She carefully inched her way to the edge of the window and cautiously rested a foot on the next one. Catwoman slowly climbed across the windows and to the one she needed to enter. Once she reached it, she smoothly opened it and noiselessly entered the large hotel room.

Warmth rushed her and her cheeks immediately flushed, slowly adjusting to the change in temperature. Catwoman closed the window behind her as she walked further into the room.

Black Mask sat at a desk facing away from her, cleaning a hand gun. She crept closer and he tilted his head.

"No need for violence," she reassured.

"Ah, Catwoman," he addressed, turning back to his gun, but Catwoman knew most of his attention was still on her. She walked closer still and rounded the table.

"Have you made a decision on your next move?" Catwoman asked, sliding into the seat across from him.

Black Mask slowly finished polishing his gun before turning his piercing brown eyes to her. Secretly, she had hoped to catch him without his mask off, but it seemed he kept it on all the time. She vaguely wondered if he slept with it on.

"I have not," he finally answered.

Catwoman smirked and watched him carefully study her under his calculating gaze.

"You have an idea," he said more as a statement rather than a question.

"There's a new courthouse being built."

"I heard." His gaze never leaving her for a second.

She returned it. "The first trial will be over sought by Judge Bam-Bam. I don't need to remind you how many times she's put you away."

"No, you do not." A pause. "Go on."

"You mentioned your next move needed to be bold and powerful. Nothing says bold and powerful like taking down the judge that's sentenced you multiple times in a brand new courthouse with top-notch security."

His eyes watched her for a long moment before he finally spoke, "Excellent point, but how will we ever acquire the funds for such a powerful move?"

Catwoman smirked. "Leave it to me."

He gave her a nod before he resumed polishing his gun.

Catwoman inwardly smiled. Now, all she had to do was ensure both he and Two-Face were at the courthouse at the same time. Then, she'd finally rid the two of them by pitting them against each other. She rose from the table with the grace of a ballerina and left the way she came.

O

The snow was coming down harder now. Swirling gusts chilling Catwoman to the bone. She crouched on a rooftop several buildings away from Wayne Industries. That new scientific equipment should fetch a pretty penny. She stood to leave when a flash of gold caught her eye. The same man from earlier with the golden trench coat was walking down the street below her. He walked slowly down the sidewalk as if the cold had no effect on him. Catwoman studied him before he walked into a high-end bar. Something felt _off_ about him that she couldn't place, but she didn't have time to deal with that now.

Catwoman made her way to the Wayne Industries warehouse and hid behind a parked car. A transport truck, no doubt holding the equipment she was going to steal, came slowly through the parking lot. Catwoman slid to the front of the car, and with a well-timed summersault, rolled beneath the transport truck and grabbed onto the bottom. The truck slowly moved forward while she clung its belly. She heard the bay doors to the Wayne Industries warehouse open, and florescent light filled the room.

She waited under the van until she heard the bay doors close before emerging from beneath the truck. She heard the driver's door open, and a man stepped out. With a quick flick of her wrist, she captured the man's hand with her whip and pulled him to her. She grabbed the front of his uniform and pinned him against the truck. He had a buzz cut and pretty features for a deliver man. His icy blue eyes fearlessly glanced over her before returning her gaze.

"Let me guess," he drawled, sarcasm dripping off his voice, , "you're here for my wallet."

She smirked. "Cute."

One thing Catwoman learned from countless battles with Batman was to always be prepared. She grabbed a spare set of handcuffs she stole ages ago from her belt with her free hand and dragged the man over to a nearby railing, his blue eyes never leaving her face. She handcuffed him to the railing and returned his steady gaze with a tight smile and a clear warning behind it.

"If you're good, I won't knock you out," she promised.

"Now, where's the fun in that?" he retorted.

She raised an eyebrow but stepped away.

He made no motion to move.

"Looks like you're a good boy after all," she cooed before turning around and walking over to the delivery truck. She opened it and smiled. The equipment lay in neat little boxes labeled "THIS SIDE UP." Catwoman knew Wayne Industries only bought the best, so only a couple boxes should be enough.

"You know," the man began, and Catwoman instantly regretted not just knocking him out in the first place, "if you're going to rob someone, you need to pay better attention to detail."

She sighed in annoyance. She definitely should have knocked him out. Next time she sees another pretty face she won't hesitate.

"I know what I'm doing," she replied, grabbing two boxes from the truck. "This isn't my first robbery."

"And it's not mine either."

She jerked her head up to see the "delivery" man walking towards her. She was about to set the boxes down when he pulled out a gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned.

Catwoman didn't listen, and in one fluid motion, set the boxes down and reached for her whip. She was too slow. A loud bang reverberated throughout the concrete warehouse. Pain exploded in her hand and she yelped. She looked down to see blood covering her hand. _He had shot her hand._

He was suddenly upon her, and she attempted to kick him, but he ducked and managed to grab her injured hand. He led her over to the railing and, to add insult to injury, handcuffed her with her own handcuffs.

She glared at him as he handcuffed her to the railing. "You'll regret this," she vowed.

"It's nothing personal," he returned.

"Why didn't you just shoot me in the beginning?" she asked.

He shrugged before sweeping a curious eye over her. "I wanted to see what your plan was." He turned to leave.

"You said I needed to pay attention to detail," she said, and he paused.

He turned back to her. "Yes, I did."

"If you're so good at details, why didn't you just take the whole truck?"

He smirked as if he knew something she didn't. "I _am_ good at details. Every Wayne Industries truck is tracked. If this truck didn't make it to the warehouse, they'd be suspicious, _and_ they'd know where I was." He paused before adding, "Besides, I only need one thing." He walked back over to the truck, his eyes scanning the inside before settling on something. He quickly stepped inside and emerged a second later with a tiny box.

"That's it?" Catwoman asked.

"That's it," he confirmed. He walked over to the main door before giving her a smug smile that she answered with a heated glare. "See you around, _Catwoman_."

The door thudded closed as he left, and Catwoman glared at the door a few more seconds as if that did any good before turning her attention to the handcuffs. She knew she had to hurry before she would be discovered. It didn't take her long to get out of them, but it was extremely painful due to her wounded hand. The handcuffs finally clattered to the floor, and she rushed to the truck, grabbing the two boxes she had taken earlier before hurrying out the door.

The snowfall swirled around her, and any trace of the thief had been displaced by the cold wind. Catwoman tucked the boxes under her injured arm and placed her bleeding hand against her stomach in an attempt to stop the bleeding. She knew she wouldn't make it back to her apartment tonight, so she quickly began to make her way over to one of her emergency places she had just in case for a scenario like this. As she was passing through an alley, she saw the man in the golden trench coat standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

He looked as if he was watching his children at the park or an interesting movie. It was eerie, and Catwoman couldn't see what he was staring at. There was nothing there. Something was wrong about this man, but the persistent pain in her hand stopped any further speculation.

Catwoman navigated the snow-covered streets until she found one of her emergency safe-havens. It was nestled behind an ornate restaurant in an abandoned tenement. She walked up the front steps and pushed open the heavy doors, her hand severely aching now. The doors closed behind her with a heavy boom, and she quickly walked upstairs towards the room she had prepared.

It was cold as she walked down the hallway on the third floor, her breath visible in the cold air around her. She finally reached her room and opened the door. She set the boxes down on the nearby table and headed straight towards the bathroom. Catwoman tentatively peeled off her glove and bit back a cry as pulled it off over her wound. She turned on the sink and was thankful that there was still running water. That was a bonus about Gotham's city council never keeping things up-to-date; there was running water in a building that had been abandoned ages ago.

This wasn't Selina's first battle wound, and it wouldn't be her last. She efficiently cleaned her wound with a practiced hand and cursed the mysterious man who shot her the whole time. She knew she should have been more careful, but it was massively inconvenient that he'd shot her dominant hand.

After she cleaned her hand and prepared for bed, she laid down on the mattress in the corner of the room, bundled in a hoard of blankets.

Selina stared at the ceiling, feeling exhaustion tugging at her body, but her mind refused to let her sleep. She shouldn't have been shot – bested even – by a stranger. She should have just knocked him out. She was better than this. Selina knew she had to let this go, but something about him kept eating at her. Not only that, she was unnerved by that strange man in the golden trench coat.

He clearly didn't belong. He stuck out like a sore thumb just like a tourist, but he seemed off. Selina was accustomed to things being out of the ordinary. She lived in Gotham. She knew the mentally disturbed when she saw them. This man didn't seem disturbed. He just seemed off. She couldn't name exactly what it was.

With these conflicting thoughts swirling in her head, it took Selina too long to fall asleep, but she eventually did. Even then, her dreams were filled with golden clad men hanging in the shadows, and the icy blue eyes of the man from the warehouse.


	2. Stealing a Kiss

Chapter Two: Stealing A Kiss

 **A/N: I meant to include this in the first chapter, but I forgot.**

 **This story is intended to be in a different POV than the average superhero story. It's not through the main lens of the story, but rather through a side character viewing the problems in a more disconnected fashion.**

 **With all that said, I hope you enjoy and thank you so very much for reading.**

The next morning Selina Kyle walked down the crisp, snowy sidewalk in one of the more criminally owned areas of Gotham. Granted, most of Gotham was run by criminals, but in this particular area, crime infested every inch of grimy concrete. Selina wore a leather jacket over a black tank top with light blue trim. Her tight, light blue jeans matched smartly. She held a purse with a cute cat design on it with long, fancy gloves perfectly concealing her injury.

Selina walked down the sidewalk and noticed a man with brown hair talking on a payphone across the street. He was facing away from her, but something about him seemed familiar. He swayed as he talked, and he turned, so she could see his profile. It was the man in the golden trench coat from yesterday. Selina nearly didn't recognize him. He looked completely different. His clothes better fit everyone else's. Not only that, he seemed to have a more "normal" nature – he wasn't so off. That unnerved Selina more than it probably should've. This man, who had been so easy to pick out from a crowd yesterday, easily fit in with his surroundings today. She knew she was probably overthinking it, but something about him caused her to instinctively became on-guard. She studied him as she strode passed him, but she couldn't gain any more information about him from his appearance. Selina mentally told herself to keep a lookout for him.

It was still early in the day, but when Selina opened the doors to the Iceberg Lounge, electronic music was playing and people were already dancing and drinking the day away. She fearlessly walked to the back of the room and approached the door guarded by two menacing bouncers. She stopped outside the door and looked at them impatiently. They eyed her warily.

"Well," she said. "Aren't you going to let me in?"

The bouncers exchanged an exasperated look.

"Look, sweetheart," the one on the right said. "Not just anyone sees Penguin."

She eyed the bouncer clearly unimpressed. "Good thing I'm not just anyone," she sassed back.

The bouncer on the left slowly dragged his eyes over her body and stared at her flatly. "You look like nobody to me."

Selina walked forward towards the door, and the bouncer on the left held out his hand to stop her, but she pulled his hand forward and elbowed him in the face. While he was caught off-guard, she kicked him in the stomach.

The second bouncer pulled out a gun, but she quickly spun around and kicked the gun from his hand in a dramatic spiral. Selina hit him in the throat with her purse, and he gagged. As the two bouncers were recovering, she opened the door and stepped inside.

There was a long, elaborately carved wooden table in front of a crackling fire inside of an ornately decorated fireplace. Penguin sat at the head of the table facing away from the fire and towards the door. A goblet of wine was placed in front of him. He wore an expensive suit lined with purple, and a majestic top hat perched on his head.

"Please tell me you didn't harm my men," he clipped in annoyance.

Selina shrugged and nonchalantly walked nearer. "They asked for it."

Penguin sighed in frustration.

The bouncers rushed in, pointing their guns at her.

Penguin waved his hand. "Put those away."

They both looked at him in surprise.

He gave them a pointed look. "Do I need to repeat myself?"

"Uh, no, boss," one of them said, while they put their guns back.

"You may leave," Penguin commanded.

They both hesitated a moment before returning outside, the door closing behind them.

Penguin looked at Selina with impatient expectance. "Yes?"

"What?" she asked as she sat beside him. "No hello?"

"I'm not a fool. I know you came here for something."

She reached inside her purse and pulled out three large pieces of shiny, new scientific equipment and set them on the table before him.

"One million dollars," she said.

Penguin gave the equipment a short glance before looking up at her. "Don't be ridiculous."

Selina gave him a heated glare. "This is from _Wayne Industries_."

He shrugged. "So?"

"So," she began. "It's expensive, and it's the best quality."

"Why would I need it?"

"I don't know, but I know you like to be ahead of everyone. I could always take this to someone else."

Penguin looked down at the equipment once more. "Fine. Fifty-thousand."

"Ninety."

"Seventy-five."

"Deal," Selina said.

"Cash?" he asked.

"Always," she confirmed.

"You'll have your money in a few minutes," Penguin said, rising from the table. "Why don't you enjoy some refreshments while you're here?"

Selina stared at him long enough to annoy him before standing up and walking through the door. The bouncers stiffened as she passed them, and she made her way to the bar.

"What will it be?" the bartender asked.

"A club soda."

He nodded before rushing off to get her drink.

A wad of cash appeared beside her.

"Here you are, Ms. Kyle," Penguin announced.

She took it and inspected that it was the correct amount before sliding it in her purse.

Penguin turned to leave.

"One more thing," Selina added.

He turned to her.

"You haven't heard about any new thieves in town, have you?"

Penguin studied her in suspicion. "Why? Is there someone I should be concerned about?"

He clearly didn't know about the man she encountered last night. "I don't know," Selina countered. "Is there?"

He glared at her, but she knew she had ruffled his feathers. She smirked as he limped back to his office. Her club soda slid next to her, and she picked it up and took a sip. Selina looked around the room before setting down her glass and walking out of the lounge.

O

The dank, musky air slowly churned through the crumbling arches and vandalized walls. Everything was cracked, and muted colors gave off a melancholy aura. Catwoman slunk down the abandoned subway system. She softly padded down the old tracks until she came to a cavernous opening to what was once a grand subway station that was blocked off years ago. Black Mask stood in the middle of the platform while his cronies stood around him as he gave off instructions.

"…keep my presence known. Are we clear? Even Batman will become afraid of the powerful grip I have on the city."

Catwoman kept to the shadows until she stood, lurking, behind the goons. She felt the men tense at the mention of Batman, but nobody dared to speak.

"That will be all," Black Mask concluded. His men shuffled up the stairs and out of the old tunnel, their footsteps ringing throughout the quiet station. Catwoman waited until everyone had left before stepping out of the shadows.

"Hello, Catwoman," Black Mask greeted, but everything about his tone was unfriendly.

Catwoman regarded him carefully. He was more uptight than normal. She slowly walked up to him and pressed the brown paper bag filled with money against his chest.

"The funds you need," she purred, circling around him.

He grabbed the bag, and when she reached his other side, he stared at her thoroughly through thoughtful brown eyes.

She stared back at him. "Something you want to say?"

"Your loyalty is to me," he stated. She noticed the way he was watching her every move.

"Well, duh. I just handed you a bag of money, didn't I?"

"I'd be careful if I was you," Black Mask warned.

Selina studied him a moment before prowling off back into the darkness. If she played this right, his suspicions would disappear, but she couldn't help but notice how hard her heart was pounding.

O

"There you are," Two-Face said as Catwoman appeared within the warehouse. "I was beginning to worry," he said sarcastically.

"Glad to know you care," she said, handing him a paper bag filled with money. He grabbed onto her hand before she could pull it back.

"I trust that you haven't shared our plans for the courthouse with anyone else."

She jerked her hand free. "Why would I do that?"

"I know how it feels to suddenly become indecisive. To feel torn over a decision."

"Relax," Catwoman assured. "I don't have to be helping you out. Unlike your men, I _choose_ to help you instead of being bought out."

He chuckled. "I wouldn't be too sure."

She gave him a look that said, "Really?"

"Well, if you don't have any plans for tonight, you could help us out and prove yourself."

"Oh, that's too bad," Catwoman replied sarcastically. "It turns out that I actually _do_ have plans, but thanks for the offer."

"That is too bad," Two-Face said, then added, "thanks for the money," before turning away and walking out the door. It creaked open and closed with a metallic clank.

Catwoman stared at the door a moment, her heart pounding in her ears.

O

Sports cars, rich fabric, and dizzying perfume all surrounded the busy entrance to Wayne Industries. Big banners hung around the entrance, boasting of Wayne Industries' new power chip that was more energy efficient and environmentally safe than any other power source out there. Selina Kyle easily slipped by the lax security when their attention was elsewhere. She smirked, Bruce Wayne knew better. She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when she saw him. And what a sight she was indeed.

Selina wore a fitted black dress with long, sparkly sleeves and matching gloves (to hide her wound, of course). The dress ran down to her ankles, but a long slit ran up to her mid-thigh, showing off her perfectly sculpted leg. Her gladiator style heels wrapped up her legs and clacked slightly as she walked on the tile floor.

Soothing piano bubbled atop the chattering crowd. Selina slowly made her way to the center of the room where one of the power chips was on display. She was turning away when something caught her eye – or rather, someone.

A man wearing a neat suit with a deep blue tie coolly sipping on champagne studied the power chip across from her. Selina nearly didn't recognize him in this setting. The thieving delivery man cleaned up nicely. She sauntered over to him, and fluidly lifted a champagne glass from a passing tray. She was going to have fun with this.

"Haven't seen you around before," she said, floating to his side.

He slowly looked over her. "Maybe I just haven't found a reason to go out yet," his eyes reaching hers as he spoke.

"So, what's your reason tonight?" she asked.

"Would you believe me if I said boredom?"

"Not in the slightest," she answered with a sip of champagne.

He gave her an amused smirk, his eyes sparkling with interest.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," a smooth voice addressed the crowd.

The babbling came to a stop, and Bruce Wayne stood before the crowd on a slightly elevated platform, a microphone projecting his voice.

"Thank you all for attending. As you know, Wayne Industries has always been a leader in the realm of science. I intend to keep it that way. Today we have received our last shipment of the new power cells that will hopefully fuel most of Gotham by next year. One of these cells is presented in the display case below.

"These cells are not only made of a new economically friendly material, but they are also an extremely efficient energy source capable of producing enough energy to power the average household for five years," his eyes skated over Selina, and he paused. The careful eye would notice the slight annoyance that flickered over his face before he continued, "I just want to thank you all for donating and hope you continue to donate in the future as Wayne Industries continues to improve the planet we live on one step at a time. Thank you," he concluded.

A polite applause surrounded the room as Bruce stepped off the platform. He slowly began to make his way over to Selina, shaking hands and giving greetings as he went.

"Looks like your boyfriend is on his way over," the thief next to her noted.

She gave him an exasperated look. "He's not my boyfriend. Trust me."

He raised an eyebrow, clearly hearing the meaning behind her tone. "Ah, ex-boyfriend. I see."

That earned him another glare before Bruce finally reached her, the thief becoming scarce as soon as he approached.

"You need to leave," Bruce said tersely.

"Would you relax?" Selina quipped her eyes flicking towards the thief making his way through the crowd. She saw him smoothly take an ID card off a security guard on the way. "I'm not here to kill anyone."

"Selina, please. I'm in no mood for this tonight."

Selina huffed as she chanced another glance back at the thief. He was nearing the elevator. "Fine."

He paused, taken aback. "Really?"

"Really," she said, placing her champagne glass on a passing tray with finality. She dramatically spun around and headed in the direction of the exit. She walked away before looking back to see Bruce being swarmed by a few of the city council members. Selina quickly changed course and headed for the elevator. The thief already managed to open the door and slip inside. He swiped the security card and pressed one of the buttons just as she coasted through the doors. A look of surprise and annoyance flashed over his face before he gave her a smirk.

"I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to be in here."

"Is that so?" she asked and reached him in one, long step. She noticed the way he tensed when she invaded his personal space.

She ran her uninjured hand up his chest and around his neck. His eyes never left her face as he studied her. His gaze was intense as if he was trying to figure her out but was also captivated by her. Perfect. She leaned her face closer to his, her eyes flicking to his lips.

"Don't you think this a little fast?" he breathed.

She looked back up into his eyes and rubbed her thumb against the back of her neck while she pulled out a pair of handcuffs she had stashed on her. Wearing a long dress really left a lot of room to store things. With her gloved, injured hand she held the handcuffs and traced the back of her hand down his arm. Selina made sure he was staring at her, so he wouldn't see what she was really doing.

"You afraid?" she asked with a bite of her lip. She saw his eyes slide down to her lips, and she snapped one end of the handcuffs on the nearby handrail and rested her gloved hand on his.

One of his hands cupped her face. His touch surprised her, and a small gasp escaped her.

"Knowing your name would be nice," his voice causing her to realize her gaze had returned to his lips. She looked back up at him.

"Selina," and then she realized what she said a moment later. She had given him her real name. She never did that. She didn't slip up. Something about this guy causing her to make mistakes bugged her.

"Selina," he repeated. The way he said it nearly sent a shiver down her spine. Nearly. She knew she had to act fast if she was ever going to get this done.

In one movement, she closed the distance between them and kissed him. His lips were cool and fresh like a wintry morning, and, as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, she quietly clicked the other end of the handcuffs around his wrist. Selina felt herself wanting to melt into him, but she slowly pulled apart. She had done it. Triumph shone through her eyes, and he noticed.

He immediately bristled. "What have you –?" he started, but the metal handcuffs clanged against the railing, and he jerked his hand in surprise.

Selina took a step back and gave him a smug grin just as the elevator dinged, signifying they had reached their destination.

"Maybe you need to pay more attention to detail," she jibed before the doors whooshed open. She stepped out of the elevator and turned back to see confusion and then realization settled across his face.

"You," he managed before the doors closed again.

Silence filled the darkened science department, and Selina took a breath to compose herself before turning around and surveying the room. Neat rows of tables surrounded by various beakers, cabinets, and computers filled the room. Boxes holding the newly arrived power cells lined the back wall.

Selina quietly clacked over to the boxes. She pulled one of them down and took out a knife that was tucked away in her dress. She easily cut open the box to see rows of the power chips neatly stacked within foam containers. Selina grabbed as many as she could hold and tucked them away. She knew she had to hurry before she was discovered and before her thieving friend escaped the handcuffs. It wouldn't take him long.

Selina returned the box and paused. She didn't get his name. He knew hers, but she didn't know his. She blinked back to the present and rushed across the room and down the stairs. She returned to the party and nearly ran into the guard in front of the stairwell door. He jumped in surprise at her sudden appearance.

"How did you get in there?" he asked with suspicion.

She widened her eyes in mock confusion and looked around.

"I thought I was lost!" she exclaimed and gave the man a disarming hug. "Bruce Wayne does give the worst directions. I was trying to find the bathroom."

The guard gave her another wary look, but Selina suddenly ended the embrace and swooshed into the crowd, leaving the guard behind. She made sure to deflect any unwanted attention, especially that of a certain billionaire who thought she had already left, and exited the building. She smiled. She had gotten what she wanted, bested the other thief, _and_ left without a trace. It was a good night.

O

The man with brown hair walked confidently down the gray corridors of the Kryptonian cruiser. He reached Zod's chambers, and the guards gave him a nod before stepping aside and allowing him to enter the room. A group of nearly half a dozen other Kyrptonians dressed in Earth clothing stood facing Zod. The brown-haired man stood beside them at the end of the line.

"Good," Zod addressed. "You're all here. I assume the scouting mission went smoothly. I expect reports within the next customary Kryptonian day." A slight pause. "Are there any pressing matters that need to be addressed?"

"There is one they call Batman that could be a hindrance," the brown-haired man piped up.

The others murmured in agreement.

"Batman, you say?" Zod questioned.

"Yes, sir."

"And is he human?"

"I believe so," he answered.

"Then he won't be a problem. Humans are no match for Kryptonians."

There was a slight hesitance that filled the room.

"You are dismissed," Zod commanded with finality.

The Kryptonians left the room leaving Zod alone.

"Computer," Zod addressed.

"Yes, General."

"Collect everything you have on Batman."

"Yes, sir."

"Nothing is getting between us and that energy," he vowed. It was a bit pointless ranting to an AI, but villains and the like did it nevertheless.


	3. Captain Cold

Chapter Three: Captain Cold

The large moon shed light on the city below. The remnants of the previous snowfall glittered in the pale light. Catwoman gracefully padded across a rooftop, overlooking the city. She sat down at the edge of a rooftop, her legs hanging off the edge. A soft whooshing sound landed behind her. It was like a soft breeze, barely noticeable, but it made Catwoman smile.

"Batman," she purred while turning around.

"Catwoman," came the deep reply. He stood, his cape circling his dark form against the moon, casting a menacing shadow that haunted the nightmares of many criminals within Gotham.

She slowly stood up and sashayed towards him and stopped so she was only a few inches away from him. His annoyance at their proximity caused her to smirk.

"Is there something you need?" her eyes roaming over his body and settling on his face only after she finished speaking.

"There is, actually," he replied and moved towards the edge of the roof, so he was overlooking the city.

"Do tell. The suspense is killing me," she retorted sarcastically as she stood next to him, their shoulders brushing.

He gave her weary look before he continued, "Have you noticed the mysterious appearance of people who don't quite fit in?"

The man with the brown hair immediately came to mind. He seemingly appeared from nowhere and stuck out as quirky, even in Gotham. Of course, she didn't voice all of this.

"What do you mean?" she asked instead.

He studied her, clearly seeing she was thinking something but not saying anything. He reached for something off his belt and pulled out something similar to a smartphone. He tapped something on the screen and handed it to her.

Catwoman looked at the pictures of nearly half a dozen average looking people. She was about to give it back, when she saw that one of the people was the brown-haired man.

"Who are they?" she asked, handing it back to him.

"That's the thing," he explained. "I don't know. Their faces don't match any on the databases on the planet, and they just showed up out of nowhere."

"But you have a theory."

"Yes, I do," he confirmed.

"And?" she urged him to go further.

"Just keep a lookout," he said, avoiding the question. "You know how to reach me." He jumped off the building, his cape unfurling, allowing him to majestically glide down to the city below. Cheeky vigilante.

O

"Tomorrow afternoon," Black Mask addressed. "We will invade the new courthouse while they are going over Jonathan Crane's trial. We will have three vans set up around the perimeter, and, on my mark, we will light that place up."

The men stood before Black Mask back in the crumbling, forgotten subway station as he explained his plans. Catwoman was perched in the shadows watching everything unfold.

"Stewart," Black Mask told one of the men off to the right. "You and your crew will be in the bus on the south side. Wesley," Black Mask told another, "you and your crew will be on the east. And, Ken," he said to the third man, "you and your crew will be on the north side of the courthouse. I expect you all to meet here tomorrow at one-thirty p.m. precisely. Are we clear?"

The men all made some form of acknowledgement.

"I will see you then," Black Mask said, and the men filed out of the subway. Black Mask's gaze landed on Catwoman. There was no way he could see her, but he still sent chills up her spine.

She leapt down from her hiding spot and smiled. "Glad you took my advice."

He stared at her with his chilling, dark eyes. "We'll see if it's good advice by tomorrow, now won't we?" He looked through her as if he could see who she was underneath her costume.

She returned his stare with a steadfast gaze of her own. "I guess so."

"You will be joining us," he said as more of a statement rather than a question. It irked Catwoman that he just assumed she was coming, but of course she was.

"Yes, I will."

"Good," he said with finality. He gave her one last eerie glance before disappearing into the shadows.

O

"Are you sure we should trust _her_?" one of Two-Face's goons asked. "She sometimes works with the Bat."

Catwoman leaned against the wall as she watched Two-Face go over his plan with his men. They stood facing him in a semi-circle wrapped in heavy coats as the cold invaded the dark, abandoned warehouse. The man who spoke eyed her sharply.

"Would you relax?" she answered, pushing herself off the wall. "If I wanted to thwart you, I would have made sure you wouldn't have gotten this far in planning."

He glared at her, and she walked over to him so she was barely a foot away and mirrored his glare. He finally wavered and turned to look back at Two-Face.

"Exactly," Two-Face agreed. "We couldn't have done this without her."

She gave the man a smug smile before turning to Two-Face. "Tomorrow afternoon seems like as good a time as any to destroy that courthouse."

"I think she's giving too much input," another man voiced.

She gave him a harsh look and crossed her arms. "Oh, really? I don't see you giving any ideas."

He stared at her as he spoke, "Maybe Friday morning would work better."

If looks could kill, that man would be dead from the daggers Catwoman was shooting him.

"Both of those options could work," Two-Face said thoughtfully.

Catwoman abruptly turned to look at him.

Two-Face reached inside his coat pocket. "Don't worry," he assured her, pulling out his coin. "Nothing a little coin toss can't fix." He looked at that man. "So, what will it be? Heads or tails?"

"Heads," the man said steadfastly.

"Very well then," Two-Face said. He flipped the coin, and it spun in the air before landing back on his hand. He cupped his hand over the coin and flipped it over. Heads. Before anyone could see it, he placed it back in his coat pocket. "Congratulations," he said, looking at Catwoman. "What time do you want to strike the courthouse?"

She shrugged nonchalantly. "one-thirty in the afternoon is fine."

"This is outrageous!" the man said. "She can't call all the shots."

"That was all up to chance," Two-Face said. "Now, we are all meeting at the courthouse entrance at one-thirty pm tomorrow. Everyone will remember me after this," he vowed. "I will see you all then. Make sure to be heavily he armed," he added with an eerie smile.

A few suspicious glances were thrown Catwoman's way before the men all left, leaving Catwoman and Two-Face alone in the warehouse.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Two-Face said, giving her an odd look. It was as if he was trying to gain something just by staring at her. Did he really think she wouldn't come? To be fair, she knew she hadn't helped him out a lot, but she couldn't leave him with any last-minute doubt.

"No need to worry," Catwoman convinced. "I'll be there. I couldn't miss out on your big day."

"No, I suppose you couldn't," he replied uncannily.

O

Zod stood facing out the window, staring at the wide expanse of space. His colossal cruiser lurked just behind the moon, barely peeking around the edge of it. He had a beautiful view of the white-blue planet of Earth. It was not even close to being a formidable foe. He could easily take it.

The sound of the door opening interrupted his world-dominating thoughts. He turned to see who had walked in. One of his advisors looked around the room before her eyes settled on him.

"Sir," she addressed with a respectful salute.

"Yes," he replied, gliding over to her with long, powerful strides. "What is it?"

"All of the scout reports have come in along with a complete analysis of the planet and the energy readings."

"Well?"

"Computer," the advisor said. "Project the readings."

A light blue holographic projection of scientific data and advanced mathematics labeled in Kryptonian filled the room.

Zod assessed the data with calculating eyes.

"It appears the energy readings originate from an interdimensional-temporal breach," his advisor explained. "There was a rupture in the space-time continuum. This was not a manufactured event."

Zod rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "The energy is dispersing," he noted.

"Indeed, it is, sir," his advisor confirmed. "We need to act quickly if we want to harvest the energy."

"Send the rest of our supplies through the portals connecting to the ship. I was informed we have portals connecting to each of our primary bases and other ships."

"That is correct, sir," his advisor confirmed.

"Good. Now, where is the source of this energy coming from?" Zod asked.

The advisor neatly flicked to another section of the hologram. It was an aerial view of Gotham. "Here, sir. It's a place the locals refer to as the Narrows."

Zod nodded. "Get my best team on it. I want them at the Narrows by nightfall."

"Yes, sir."

O

Selina set down a bowl of fresh cat food for her hungry cats as the morning sun lightly shone through the window. The cats swarmed the new bowl of food and meowed happily. She smiled wearily. She was dressed in an oversized blue t-shirt with Imagine Dragons written on it and short athletic shorts. Gauze was wrapped firmly around her injured hand. It was healing nicely – just not at the pace Selina wanted. She lazily walked over to her cupboard and poured a bowl of cereal for herself. She sat down and turned on the television with a click from the remote.

The breaking news jingle sounded, and a newsroom came into focus. A man with black, shiny hair and a woman with light brown hair stared seriously into the camera.

"Last night Gotham received a visit from a new villain called Captain Cold," the man with black hair declared.

Selina took a bite of cereal. Captain Cold? What was wrong with this city?

"He robbed Gotham Central Bank last night around 3am and made his escape with nearly seven million dollars," the man explained.

Impressive. She wondered how he managed to escape Batman. Or if Batman was on the scene at all. He seemed quite preoccupied with his mysterious group of people he couldn't identify the last time she saw him.

"He is considered armed and dangerous," the woman continued. "He has fashioned some sort of gun akin to that of Mr. Freeze's out of stolen technology from Wayne Industries. If you see him, contact local police immediately."

"With that statement," the man said. "Here is video footage of Captain Cold's robbery from early this morning."

Black and white footage from a camera across the bank began to play. The bank was slightly off center and the main focus of the camera seemed to be primarily on the factory next door. The door to the bank opened, and a man wearing a dark-colored parka wielding a large gun and carrying a duffel bag emerged from the bank. He walked over to a motorcycle attached to a side car. He placed the bag in the side car and holstered his gun. He warily looked around and the video paused and zoomed in on his face.

Selina nearly choked on her cereal. Captain Cold was the thief she kissed in the elevator!

The television returned to the newscasters. "Officials have been unable to identify this man," the woman stated. "If anyone has any information on him, please call the number below."


	4. Closet Portals

Chapter Four: Closet Portals

 **A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! They mean so much to me! There is one more chapter after this one in Part I of this story. I intend to have four parts, but it takes me forever to write, so I guess we'll see. Again, thank you for the reads and reviews.**

Selina lightly landed on one of Black Mask's trucks outside of the courthouse. The giant clock on the outside of the building read 1:27pm. Black Mask's men sprung out from the truck and pointed their guns at her.

"Would you chill?" she asked, sliding down from the top of the truck. They stared at her cautiously then put their guns away.

"Ah, Catwoman." Black Mask rounded the corner. "You're right on time."

"Of course I am."

"I'm glad to see that you're armed," he said, gesturing to her whip.

She hadn't been able to use it that well since her hand had been shot, but if everything went according to plan today, she wouldn't need to use it, because Black Mask and Two-Face would be too busy eliminating themselves.

"You're going to help me with the primary assault," Black Mask said, leading her towards the front of the building.

Catwoman glanced at the clock. 1:29. Two-Face should be just around the corner. They reached the front of the courthouse. It was vacant. That wasn't right.

"Something wrong?" Black Mask asked at her obvious hesitation.

"Nope," she returned confidently.

A large van drove towards the courthouse and stopped right outside the entrance. Two-Face and his goons piled out.

Black Mask tensed. "Two-Face."

"Black Mask," he replied tersely.

Catwoman began to slowly slink backwards, preparing for the inevitable oncoming fight.

"You're late," Black Mask said.

Late? What did he mean?

"There was an accident on the highway," Two-Face said impatiently. "I couldn't control that."

Something was wrong.

Two-Face turned to her. "Hello, Catwoman."

Black Mask chuckled. "Don't look so surprised."

"You didn't think we wouldn't figure out what you were doing?" Two-Face finished and quickly pulled out his gun.

Catwoman barely dodged the shot with a back handspring, ignoring the pain in her hand as she vaulted through the air. She looked up just in time to see Black Mask point his gun at her. She stepped to the side while taking out her whip. She flicked it at Black Mask, quickly disarming him, but worsening her wounded hand in the process.

Catwoman knew she couldn't stay for long. Both Black Mask's and Two-Face's goons were surrounding the building. With the small lead she had, Catwoman quickly sprinted to the side of the building, pushed up the wall, grabbed onto the fire escape despite her hand screaming in pain, and raced up the fire escape.

"After her!" she heard Two-Face bellow.

She ran across the rooftop towards the door leading into the building. Before she reached it, the door burst open, and Black Mask's goons rushed out. Catwoman quickly altered her course, barely avoiding their bullets. She raced to the edge of the building and jumped. It was too far. She wasn't going to make it.

She landed on the other side, but her feet barely touched the edge, and her leg scraped down the lip of the building as she slipped. Something snagged on her arm, and she looked down, wide-eyed, at the street below. Her legs were dangling, and the street was nearly thirty feet down. Her heart was pounding in her head, and she was shaking from adrenaline and fear.

"Selina!"

She looked up to see Captain Cold holding onto her arm.

"Give me your other hand."

She lifted up her injured hand, and he grabbed her forearm and pulled her up. She pushed her feet up against the side of the building in an attempt to help him lift her up. She jerked forward, and she stumbled forward into him. She gasped as she held onto him, adrenaline still coursing through her veins. A loud shout sounded from below.

"We need to go," he said, pulling himself from her. He quickly turned and hurriedly walked towards the rooftop door. Catwoman following right behind him. He opened the door.

"Wait," she said.

He turned. "We're not exactly full of time here."

"Why did you save me?"

He shrugged. "Let's just say you now owe me a favor."

She studied him a moment before walking through the door. They thudded down the stairs, their footsteps echoing through the concrete walls. Catwoman suddenly stopped, and Cold nearly ran into her.

"We don't have time for this!" he hissed.

"Shh!"

Footsteps could be heard racing up the stairs towards them. Catwoman dashed to the nearest door and ran through it. Cold was right behind her. She looked over her shoulder just in time to see some of Two-Face's men watch them go through the door.

"There!" one of the men shouted, pointing at them.

They both raced down the hallway.

"Selina!"

She looked behind her to see Cold open a nearby custodial closet. She squeezed in, and he followed her. Catwoman moved backwards to give him more room, but she tripped over something. She fell and instinctively reached out with her hand, grabbing him and bringing him down with her.

He fell on top of her, and his face was inches from hers. She stared at his icy blue eyes, completely aware of his breath on her skin and his body pressed up against hers. It was as if each nerve was enhanced, and she could feel every inch of him touching her.

Selina realized he was looking at her with an odd expression on his face. Much like when they were in the elevator, but this time it seemed more…open. She could read him better. His brow crinkled slightly as if he was trying to figure something out, but his eyes twinkled with fascination.

That's when she realized just how well she could see him. It had been dark inside the closet nearly a second ago. She pushed on his chest and looked around.

"Where are we?" Catwoman asked.

He stood up and offered a hand. She ignored it and stood up on her own.

They were in a small gray room that looked much like a custodial closet, but it was clearly not the same one they were just in. The gray walls were lined with shelves filled with equipment neither of them had seen before, and the room was well-lit from a bright light on the ceiling.

Catwoman cautiously opened the door to the closet. She could feel Cold standing behind her as they both peered outside. The hallway outside was the same dull gray as the closet. Footsteps neared, and Catwoman took a cautious step back, but kept the door slightly ajar.

The eerie man with the brown hair she had kept seeing walked past them along with a woman with dark hair. They were wearing gray uniforms of some sort with an odd emblem across their chests. Catwoman waited a moment before opening the door further and ensuring the hallway was vacant.

"Selina," Cold warned.

She didn't listen and looked around, saw the coast was clear, and crossed to the other side of the hallway. Then she began walking in the direction she saw the brown-haired man and the woman go.

Cold looked back at the closet, swore, and then followed Catwoman down the hall.

"This is a bad idea," he stated.

She turned and gave him a mischievous smile. "What? Afraid of a little fun?"

"Have you ever heard the saying, 'curiosity killed the cat'?"

She chuckled. "Clever."

They rounded the corner and immediately turned back. Two guards were guarding a door at the end of the hallway.

"Did they see us?" Catwoman asked.

"I don't know. I didn't have the chance to ask."

She glared at him and cautiously edged to the corner of the wall. She slowly leaned around it to get another look. She turned back.

"They didn't see us."

"Good. We were lucky. Now, let's get out of here."

She gave him a confused look.

"What?" he asked.

"Don't you want to know what's in there?"

"Not really. I'd rather not die. This isn't the friendliest place I've been to. It feels like a prison."

She studied him. "You've been to prison?"

"Why? Does that bother you?"

"Should it?"

He stared at her intensely.

She stared back.

"Have fun on your little adventure." He spun around and walked back the way they came.

Catwoman sighed and turned back to look at the guards. The door behind them whooshed open, and the brown-haired man and the woman stepped out. She silently ran back down the hallway to Cold.

"We need to go," she said urgently. They both bolted into the closet and closed the door just as the brown-haired man and the woman rounded the corner.

"That was too close," Cold whispered.

She knew he was right, but she didn't want to admit it. She knew nothing about this place and couldn't just barge in without a plan.

"How are we going to get back?" she asked.

He surveyed the closet. His practiced eye taking in each detail. He paused as he looked at something on the back wall.

She followed his gaze. The back wall didn't seem out of place until it was studied closely. It looked as if it was slightly out of focus. Cold grabbed something from the shelf and poked the wall with it. The wall rippled as if he dipped the object in water.

Voices sounded just outside the door. Catwoman immediately looked back. The door began to open. She pushed Cold through the wall and immediately followed.


	5. End of the Beginning

Chapter Five: End of the Beginning

 **A/N: This is the end of Part I. I've hardly started on Part II, but I do plan on continuing this story. Let me know what you think. Reviews are the best.**

Chilling, artificial light illuminated the cavernous space in a ghastly blue originating from an array of computer monitors. A young woman with rust-colored hair and round spectacles typed on a computer. She studied each screen for a moment and clicked a few readouts with her mouse before typing again.

"How's it coming?"

She nearly jumped before she turned around. She was bound to a wheelchair and easily turned the wheels to look behind her.

Bruce Wayne smiled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

Barbara Gordon returned his smile. "It's alright."

He walked towards the screens and studied them with a furrowed brow. "What do we got?"

She turned back around and clacked away on the keyboard. "There seems to be a numerous amount of these breaches. They keep appearing and reappearing in no seemingly predictable pattern."

"What about the original one?"

"You mean the large interdimensional and temporal breach that hit the Narrows three weeks ago?"

"Yes," Bruce replied. "That was a large explosion."

"That is completely different than these."

"How so?"

"These breaches are just within our universe and don't affect time."

Bruce turned to her. "Our universe?"

"Yes." Barbara clicked on something. An analysis of the large explosion filled the monitors. "This breach was more of an uncontrolled explosion that burst into our dimension from another. It's giving off large amounts of temporal and interdimensional energy."

"So, it's literally a hole in the space-time continuum," Bruce deduced.

"Yes," Barbara confirmed while adjusting her glasses.

"But these other breaches are different?"

"Yes," she repeated. "These small ones are confined to our dimension. It's as if someone is opening portals to make travel from one location to another easier."

"Where are they coming from?"

"I'm not sure, but I've been studying their energy all week." A pause. "I think we can channel one of the portal's energy if need be."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I've been able to isolate each of the active portal's readings. As I've said before, they disappear and reappear in random places. Right now, there are five open." Barbara switched the monitors to show the portals with a simple click of her mouse.

Bruce stared in thoughtful consideration. "Channel the energy of the one near the courthouse," he instructed.

Barbara nodded and rapidly typed on her keyboard. She stopped typing and stared at the monitors. "We're channeling the energy now."

A strange feeling began to fill the room. It felt as if lightning was going to strike. Bruce's hair stood on end, and his stomach dropped and his heart pounded as if something big was about to happen.

"Barbara…" he said cautiously.

She bent over and her fingers rushed atop the keyboard. The energy in the room began to intensify, and Bruce's skin began to tingle.

"Barbara!"

"I-I don't know what's happening!"

"Well, make it stop!"

A blue-gray circle that looked as if it was made of water appeared across the room. A man stumbled through it. He stared at Bruce and Barbara, and they stared back. Catwoman stepped through a second later. The breach shrank until it was no more.

"Selina," Bruce growled. "There better be an _excellent_ explanation for this."

She smirked. "No need to worry, Bruce." She looked around. "So, this is where your base of operations is." She looked back at him. "Not impressed." She took a step forward.

"Stop," Bruce said menacingly. He looked to the man. "Who's that?"

He had his hand gripped to a gun strapped to his side, his eyes never left Bruce. It was apparent that he knew what the major threat in the room was.

"Oh, Bruce, I'm surprised," Catwoman said sarcastically as she walked towards him, despite his wishes. "That's Captain Cold. Don't you watch the news?"

"I knew that. But who is he? Where did he come from?" Bruce said, shifting his eyes from Selina to Cold.

"What do you mean?" Selina asked, pausing once she reached the computer.

"He's one of those people I talked to you about earlier."

That granted him her full attention. "No, he's not."

"Yes, he is. He's exactly like them. He just appeared out of nowhere and doesn't show up on any database on Earth," Bruce argued.

"Relax," Cold finally spoke. He took his hand off his gun and crossed his arms. "I'm not one of them."

"How can I be sure?"

Cold studied him a moment before he spoke, "Because you know who those people are, and you know the last thing they'd ever do is draw attention to themselves. I haven't been very subtle."

Bruce stared at him. He was right, but he still didn't trust him. His eyes were cold and calculating. There was a darkness inside that man.

"Besides," Selina added nonchalantly while looking at her claws. "We were just inside an alien spaceship where we saw all your people. He seemed just as surprised as I was."

"Wait, what?" Barbara asked.

"You heard me," Selina said.

Barbara spun back to the computer. She clicked her mouse a few times. "I guess we know where those portals go now. They're linked to some sort of extraterrestrial vessel."

Cold walked towards them, and Bruce gave him a cautionary glare. Cold settled next to Selina and ignored Bruce.

"They must be after something there," Cold said, pointing to the Narrows on the map displaying the breaches' locations.

"How do you know that?" Bruce asked.

"Because the portals are all in perfect vantage points of the Narrows. They're staking out the area before they go in."

They all looked at the screens for moment.

"He's right," Barbara said.

They continued to stare at the screens.

"Well," Cold said, breaking the silence. "Not that this isn't exciting, but I'd like to leave now."

"You just found out that there are aliens investigating the city, and you want to leave?" Barbara asked in disbelief.

He shrugged. "You seem to have it under control." Cold noticed Bruce studying him and stiffened. He knew Bruce was figuring him out.

A jarring alarm blared from the computers.

"Well, that's obnoxious," Selina stated.

Barbara clicked a few keys, and the noise stopped.

"What's going on?" Bruce asked.

"They're converging on the Narrows," Barbara answered. The energy readings on the computer began to rapidly change. "Whoa," she commented.

"What?" Selina asked.

"The energy readings from the explosion," Barbara began.

"Which explosion?" Cold asked.

Bruce turned to study him once again. Cold gave him a harsh look in response, but Bruce didn't look away.

"The big one in the Narrows from three weeks ago," Barbara said, her attention never leaving the computer.

"What's wrong with it?" Selina asked.

"Its energy is massively decreasing," Barbara explained. "The aliens must be harvesting it."

"Is that bad?" Bruce asked.

"No, it should be fi –" Barbara paused as another reading from a top monitor began to rapidly increase and flash in red.

"What?" Cold asked.

"That can't be right," she said and rapidly began to type.

Bruce studied the monitor. "If they keep harvesting the energy at this rate, they'll create a black hole."

"You've got to be kidding," Selina said.

"Oh, yes, he's just bursting with humor," Cold retorted sarcastically.

Bruce and Selina both glared at him.

He smirked in return.

"You need to get out there and stop them," Barbara said and looked at Bruce.

Bruce's eyes flicked warily to Cold and then back to Barbara.

Cold noticed. "Look, it's not that hard to piece together that you're Batman. I mean, the secret cave with the Bat Suit sort of gives it away."

Bruce opened his mouth to speak.

"No need to get in a huff. I won't tell," Cold promised.

"You don't strike me as the honest type," Bruce returned.

"You're right, but I know how to play my cards. Telling people about your," he glanced over at the Bat Suit, "hobby, would cause me more trouble than it's worth. Your secret is safe with me."

Bruce gave him one last measured glance before he brushed passed Cold and went to put on his suit.

"Maybe we should call Nightwing for backup. He could really hel –" Barbara called out.

"No!" Bruce commanded darkly.

"Bruce," Barbara argued. "We need backup."

"I'm not exactly doing anything," Selina said.

Bruce stopped and turned to look at her. "You want to help?"

She shrugged. "Why not? Besides, aliens sound exciting."

"Then I guess I'll tag along," Cold said.

"I thought you weren't interested," Barbara said.

"I guess I changed my mind," he said.

Bruce looked between the Selina and Cold with an amusement.

"What?" Selina asked, clearly noticing.

"Get ready to leave in five," Bruce replied, blatantly ignoring her question.

O

A few minutes later, the trio arrived at the Narrows. A brilliant light shone through the crumbling buildings, and above the light, a large, gray spacecraft appeared to be sucking the light, undoubtedly harvesting the residual energy from the explosion.

"We need a better view of the situation," Batman said. He shot a grappling hook at the nearest building and ascended to the roof. Catwoman quickly followed. She ran to the side of the building and easily scaled it. Cold sighed and walked inside.

Batman stood at the edge of the roof and stared at the scene below. Catwoman approached him and looked down. A massive portal much like the one she had encountered in the alien ship encompassed a large portion of the Narrows. However, this portal was tinged with green unruly energy that burst from the portal's edges unlike the calmer blue-gray energy from the previous portal on the spaceship.

"What's the plan?" Catwoman asked. "It's not like we can just shut it off."

"But maybe they can," Batman replied with a nod to the spacecraft.

Catwoman gave him a questioning look when Cold stepped through the door leading to the roof. She glanced back at him. "Took you long enough."

"My apologies," he retorted sarcastically. "Not everyone is trained by the League of Assassins."

Batman shot him a sharp, surprised look.

Cold ignored it and surveyed the portal. "How are we stopping this?"

A beam of light shot from the spacecraft, and three figures emerged from the light. The man in the middle was clearly in charge. He had dark hair and a beard and acute, intelligence eyes.

"We ask," Batman said before jumping off the roof. His cape unfurled, and he easily glided to the ground. Catwoman climbed down the roof and gracefully landed.

"Sure, fine," Cold said to no one in particular, "I'll just fly on down."

Batman and Catwoman cautiously walked towards the Kryptonians.

"What are you doing?" Catwoman hissed to Batman in alarm, but she was ignored.

"You need to stop," Batman said to the aliens once they were within earshot.

Zod turned and smiled eerily. "Ah, Batman. We meet at least. I heard a lot about you from my scouts."

"If you don't stop, you'll create a black hole," Batman continued.

"Oh, I know," Zod answered. "I just don't care."

"Then we'll have to stop you," Batman said menacingly.

Zod laughed. "Your efforts will be most amusing." He nodded to the other two Kryptonians, and they walked to Batman and Catwoman. Zod turned and walked away, a beam of light emitting from the ship and taking him back up.

The Kryptonians drew their guns and shot at Batman and Catwoman. Catwoman deftly avoided the shot and grabbed her whip from her belt. Her hand still ached from earlier, but she ignored it. She captured one of the alien's hands with her whip and pulled. He didn't move. He smirked at her, and with a simple flick of his rest, he uprooted her from the ground, and she went flying across the street.

Catwoman hit a nearby building with a thud, and the breath was knocked out of her. She gasped for air and began to stand up, but fell back down as the Kryptonian landed in front of her with a powerful leap. He chuckled in evil delight.

"Hey, Klingon!" Cold shouted and took something from his belt. "Catch!"

The Kryptonian easily caught whatever Cold through at him. He smirked, but the object suddenly exploded, and ice spread over his body. He tried to drop it, but it was too late. The ice covered him, and soon he was nothing but a frozen statue.

Catwoman stood up breathlessly. "Got any more of those?"

Cold shrugged. "A few."

Batman harshly landed on the ground in front of them, the other Kryptonian not far behind. Cold threw another ice grenade at the ground near the Kyrptonian's feet. The ice quickly spread from the ground and up his legs. He looked down in panic, but he could only watch in horror as he was encased in ice.

Batman jumped to his feet and stared at Cold. "Where did you get that?"

"I made it," Cold replied.

"Hey, guys," Barbara interrupted through the coms, "I think I have a way to stop them."

"What is it?" Batman asked.

"I was able to connect to each of the portals, including the big one. I've hooked up our systems with the nearest power plant, and I think, with the right amount of energy, I can shut down all of the portals."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Catwoman asked impatiently.

"There's a catch," Barbara explained.

"Well?" Cold prompted.

"If I do this, I will isolate our dimension, so no more portals can be made within our dimension or between our dimension," she said.

"Ok…" Catwoman said. "How is that a catch?"

Batman glanced at Cold.

"Just do it," Cold replied intensely.

Catwoman stared at the two. She didn't get it. Why did that matter to Cold? Then she realized… He had just appeared from nowhere, he didn't show up on any known databases, and he had no idea about the big explosion from three weeks back.

"You're from a different dimension?" she asked, then paused. "This portal from that explosion was because of you, wasn't it?"

He ignored the question. "Are we going to do this or just stand here?"

"Go ahead," Batman said to Barbara.

"I'm on it," she replied.

Immediately, the giant portal began to diminish, but it began to collapse in on itself, sucking in nearby objects.

"We need to get out of here," Batman said wisely.

"Couldn't agree more," Cold said.

The light of the spacecraft's teleport beamed down, and General Zod flew to them. He grabbed Batman by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

"What have you done?!" he yelled, chunks of cement and brick from the neighboring buildings flying into the closing portal. Batman hit Zod, but it did nothing. Catwoman and Cold both moved to help, but Zod jerked his head in their direction. "Don't even think about it."

Fortunately, that typical hero's luck kicked in and a large piece of cement broke off the wall just above Batman and hit Zod on the face. He dropped the Dark Knight and fell to the ground several feet away. Batman gasped, and Zod attempted to stand, but the pull of the portal was too strong.

"Let's move," Cold said. Catwoman helped Batman to his feet, and the trio ran away from the crumpling portal. Catwoman glanced back just in time to see Zod screaming in anger as he was sucked into the portal.

Miles away, each portal linking the Kryptonian ships together, began to collapse and implode the spaceships, effectively crippling the Kyrptonian's hold on the galaxy.

O

 **BENEVOLENT KING B'ZVAR OF THE WHITE MARTIANS DIES**

"Well done," a dark voice complimented. The large letters of the news headline loomed in a purple holographic projection in the center of the dark room. A figure studied the hologram with his back turned.

"Are you sure this was a good idea?" a young White Martian asked nervously. "I disagreed with everything my father stood for, but murder seems too extreme."

"There's nothing you can do about it now," the voice staring at the hologram said coldly. "Besides, if you want to be the ruthless ruler you say you want to be, murder should come easily. After all, you plan on exterminating the Green Martians, do you not?" the figure finally turned to reveal none other than Time Master Druce.

The White Martian nodded.

"Good." Druce walked to the Martian and paused. "And remember, I know every historic event that will pass. With me at your side, you will become a god. So _never_ doubt me. Understand?"

The White Martian nodded again.

"Excellent. Until our next meeting." Druce gave the White Martian a hard stare before he left the room. Silence pervaded, and the purple light cast a spooky glow across the room.


End file.
